Bio
A member of the Government Contracts Group, Daniel helps contractors address the challenges of federal procurement, offering thoughtful legal guidance and support at every stage of the government contracting lifecycle. His practice is dedicated to protecting contractors’ business interests in an increasingly competitive and highly regulated environment.
As part of the Bid Protests Group, he defends and files bid protests before the Government Accountability Office, the Court of Federal Claims, and the Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition. His experience also extends to handling size and status protests and related appeals before the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Office of Hearings and Appeals, including final loan review decisions in the Payment Protection Program (PPP).
In the REAs, Claims, and Appeals arena, Daniel regularly prepares requests for equitable adjustment, certified claims, and appeals of contracting officers’ final decisions to the relevant Boards of Contract Appeals. Additionally, he defends clients throughout the entire suspension and debarment process and responds to unfair Contractor Performance Assessment Reports (CPARs).
When not assisting government contractors with disputes, Daniel advises clients on a wide range of regulatory compliance issues, including but not limited to, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), and cybersecurity (e.g., CMMC) and data rights. He also has experience with the SBA’s various small business programs, such as SDVOSB, HUBZone, and WOSB, and joint ventures, including the Mentor-Protégé program.
Daniel also frequently works with government contractors alongside the Business & Transactions Group, supporting Mergers & Acquisitions, due diligence, contract novations, and name changes.
Related Practice Areas
Representative Matters
Protests – Government Accountability Office, Court of Federal Claims, Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition:
- Successfully defended contract award totaling roughly $20 million finding evaluation was performed consistent with the solicitation and Federal procurement law. Matter of Inalab Consulting, Inc., B-422438; B-422438.2; B-422438.3 (June 18, 2024).
- Successfully defended contract award totaling roughly $35 million finding evaluation was performed consistent with the solicitation and Federal procurement law. Matter of Yukon Fire Prot. Servs., Inc., B-422351 (Apr. 25, 2024).
- Successfully protested on behalf of 15 different clients arguing the agency’s evaluation was unreasonable, not done in accordance with the terms of the solicitation, and not properly documented. Matter of Sys. Plus, Inc., et al., B-419956.268; B-419956.310, .345; B-419956.311, .346; B-419956.313, .347 (June 29, 2023).
- Successfully led other pre-award and post-award bid protests that have resulted in corrective action consistent with relief requested.
- Successfully led post-award bid protests that have resulted in corrective action consistent with relief requested at the Court of Federal Claims and Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition.
- Successfully protested contract award decision, valued at roughly $50 million, arguing that (1) an unequal access to information organizational conflict of interest existed, (2) the Agency failed to properly evaluate technical proposals, and (3) the Agency’s best value trade-off decision lacked a rational basis. Protest of Adsync Technologies, Inc., ODRA Docket No. 23-ODRA-00951 (June 21, 2024).
Small Business Administration Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) – Federal Contracts:
- Successful appeal arguing contracting officer’s assignment of NAICS code 541611 – Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services ($24.5M) was based in clear error and that NAICS code 561110 – Office Administrative Services ($12.5M) was the appropriate code. NAICS Appeal of Katmai N. Am., LLC, SBA No. NAICS-6269 (Feb. 23, 2024).
- Successfully defended against size appeal arguing that the initial size protest was correctly dismissed as non-specific and size recertification was not required. Size Appeal of Glob. Pac. Design Builders, LLC, SBA No. SIZ-6260 (Dec. 21, 2023).
- Successfully intervened arguing service-disabled, veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) joint venture agreement did not comply with SBA’s regulations. VSBC Protest of U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (Silotech-Apex JV, LLC), SBA No. VSBC-297 (August 8, 2023).
- Successfully defended against size appeal arguing size recertification was not required by the terms of the solicitation. Size Appeal of Valiant Sols., LLC, SBA No. SIZ-6224 (June 22, 2023).
- Successfully defended against size appeal arguing size recertification was not required and initial protest was properly dismissed as untimely. Size Appeal of Computer World Servs. Corp., SBA No. SIZ-6208 (April 25, 2023).
Small Business Administration – Loan Programs:
- Obtain full forgiveness of $6.5 million First-Draw Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan after engaging with the SBA and demonstrating entitlement to full amount.
- On appeal to the SBA’s OHA, successfully argued companies with common ownership were not affiliated via identity of interest, resulting in OHA vacating and remanding the SBA’s final loan review decision regarding First-Draw PPP Loans. SBA subsequently issued final loan review decisions with full forgiveness of loans totaling over $400,000.00.
- On appeal to the SBA’s OHA, successfully argued 50% owner of borrower did not have the ability to control, resulting in OHA vacating and remanding SBA’s final loan review decision of PPP Loan totaling more than $4 million.
- Successfully obtained partial forgiveness of several PPP loans by providing accurate documentation and calculations.
Suspension and Debarment Proceedings – Various Agencies:
- Successfully defended owner of construction company from proposed notice of debarment resulting in execution of administrative agreement.
- Successfully defended construction company during proceedings to exclude the company from Federal contracts resulting in execution of administrative agreement.
Credentials
Education
- The George Washington University Law School, J.D., 2022, with a concentration in Government Procurement
- The George Washington University, B.A., 2019, cum laude, Political Science
Admissions
- District of Columbia
Activities/Honors
Activities
- Senior Articles Editor, Public Contract Law Journal, 2021-2022
Honors
- Super Lawyers® Rising Star, Washington DC, Government Contracts, 2024
- Winner, 2022 Arnold & Porter Government Contracts Moot Court Competition
Publications
- Note, Billions, and Billions, and Billions: Recent Administrations, Cronyism, and the Need for Greater Independence in Contract Awards, 51 Pub. Cont. L.J. 599 (2022)